Sites Fire Burns Over 19,000 Acres with Scorching Heat Looming

Multiple columns of smoke rising from the Sites Fire as seen from the east on June 18. [Image from Alert California]

Temperatures will be rising through the weekend and humidity temperatures dropping causing concern among firefighters. Jonathan Pangborn, Fire Behavior Analyst with Cal Fire Incident Management Team, noted the northern portion of the fire remains a troublesome spot. “There is substantial potential, even though the fire behavior has somewhat moderated with some really great firefighting efforts the past few days, the probability of ignition remains at about 100%,” Pangborn said. “So expect anything that gets out into those fine dead fuels. They’re just gonna want to move.”

Stats:

• Acres Burned: 19,195
• Containment: 15%
• Location: Sites Lodoga Road and Wilson Creek, southeast of Stonyford
• Date Started: June 17, 2024
• Cause: Under investigation
• Personnel:1532

UPDATED Resources Graphic Below:

Compelling Images:

Stopped by @CALFIRELNU's helibase earlier today and got some great photos of the diverse fleet of firefighting helicopters on-scene

These helicopters were working on the #SitesFire and other new starts in the area today#Wildfire #AerialFirefighting #Helicopter #CALFIRE pic.twitter.com/G0qYYb7Cb8

— Ian Servin || @airplaneian.com on Bluesky (@airplaneian) June 20, 2024

The Plan:

The Weather:

Mike Seaman, Incident Meteorologist, emphasized at today’s morning briefing that the upcoming heat is going to cause problems. He stated, “The thing I really want to stress this morning is the building heat that we’ve got coming in over the next couple of days. We’re going to warm up two to five degrees today pushing 90 degrees on the Sites incident… But as we get into the weekend, we’re going to be adding another 10 degrees.” Seaman also noted that humidity levels will drop significantly, with values falling into the low teens by early afternoon. Winds will start light but become southeasterly, reaching the low 90s by the weekend.

More details can be found on the NOAA website.

The Maps:

• Operations Map –to see details either zoom or click on the map and download a pdf.
• KMZ Map–Zoom for detail or for 3D imagery, click on the map and download a file that connects with your Google Earth program.

Evacuation and Meeting Information:

Mandatory evacuations are in effect for several areas. For the latest evacuation details and updates, visit the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook.

ALERTCalifornia Cameras:

Several ALERTCalifornia cameras are monitoring the Sites Fire, providing live feeds and 360-degree views of the area. These cameras help in assessing the fire’s behavior and coordinating firefighting efforts. You can view these camera feeds on the ALERTCalifornia website.

Cameras:

• Goat Mt
• Sites 1
• St. John
• St. John2
• Williams

Earlier:

• Ongoing Battle Against Sites Fire in Colusa County: Over 15,000 Acres Burned
• Sites Fire Explodes to 10,000 Acres in Less than a Day